Episode Transcript
📍 All right. Welcome back to sort of sophisticated people. The podcast where, well, you already know the drill on what we do.
We think of random subjects that may or may not be interesting. You be the judge of that. We go down a rabbit hole. We learn all about them, we make them sound mildly sophisticated and, um, teach you what you need to know so you can sound smart. Stuff.
Stuff.
Yeah, stuff. Um, my name is Beard though, and I am here with my famous co-host, Amanda. Say hello, Amanda.
Hello.
How are you doing? Everybody? You say hello? Like, you should be Vanna White on a game show, you know? Oh. I mean, I'm dating myself because Vanna White was like Wheel of Fortune. She's like a hundred years old now, but you're like, hello everybody. And then when you start talking to me, you're like, okay Peter, tell me what's really going on.
Wow. I sound like a gremlin.
That's awesome. No, but you do sound mean to Nice sometimes. So nice. Okay. Um. Can we talk about my hair for a second, please?
Okay. What, what about your hair? '
cause I gotta make it all about me for about five seconds ahead. Okay.
It wouldn't be a normal podcast if it wasn't.
Right. Have you noticed any like different flow thing I got going on in your,
I mean, it's like longer and like more wind swept?
No, specifically. Not that it's been longer for a long time.
Oh. Oh.
Just in general, like have you noticed like maybe better showering, maybe better? Ew.
Are you actually, like, you didn't take showers before? Are you admitting that on air?
No.
Oh.
What I am admitting. Is, I just got the Commando four 50. I got fuck is the
commando.
I got the ultimate new shower modification. I put like turbo in my shower. So I've been living in my house,
I'm sorry,
with shitty water pressure
Okay.
For the last 17 years.
Oh, okay.
And I I had a white people privilege moment.
Okay.
Which is ter I mean, I'm, yes. I'm saying this on air. Uh, and I was like, no, fuck it.
I gotta fix this problem once and for all. First of all, it takes too damn long to heat my water. 'Cause I'm like the, , my bathroom is the farthest from the house. Yeah,
yeah,
yeah. And. My water pressure is like an old man peeing in a toilet. Okay. Like, it's terrible. Like, okay. Okay. So, uh, spent. Way more than I wanted to.
Ooh. But I, I'm
tell financial
guy,
I'm not, , I'm not telling you on air how much it cost, and I don't have some, I, my, you've seen my house. It's not all like up to date, it's kind of old.
Anyway, they fixed all the plumbing. Okay? All the piping. I got the recirculating pump. I got everything put in.
Oh man,
Amanda, I got in the shower. I almost fell over. Oh. When I turned the damn. Huh. But yes, I literally don't wanna get out anymore. Oh, it's remarkable.
Oh no. So now your water bill's up.
So like this is a continuous problem of overspending.
It is glor.
But your hair, your hair, it
is gl It's worth my hair. My like,
but did you get a water softener? I, because I feel like the hard water in
Orange, orange
County
I got, so my plumber. She yelled at me. She's like, you got you. Well, first of all, hey, kudos to my plumber Taylor.
Everybody shout out to Taylor. Right? Because I know, like I'm being sexist. , Not a 📍 lot of women plumbers out there.
Oh, that's true.
Like women plumber, right? There's, yeah. So like, I was like, okay, like she's a badass and she was schooling me and everything. I had no idea what I was talking about.
She was a total badass. , But anyway, my point is, she's like, dude, you don't have a water softener. I'm like, no. She's like, well, then he, and she went through the whole house. She's like, here's what you need to do once a year. You have to do this and this and this, and clean all this and all the hard crystalization.
And I was like, uh, Taylor, you're being way too sophisticated for me. I would like you to be sort of sophisticated because I'm dumb right now. So she was womansplaining, uh, how to manage, oh my gosh, plumbing. Uh, and it was excellent because the tables Amanda turned, so,
oh man.
Anyway, for those of you watching on YouTube, because who's not watching on YouTube could totally welcome, welcome, see the flow.
Let's go. Let's move on already. Can we talk about it? Oh, I'm ready. Can we, can we just start with sub? Let's just go to subject change.
Yes. Let's
go. Let's see this. What is our
subject today?
You ready for this? I don't know if you're gonna like this today. I don't know if
I'm ready.
This is one of those ones where I wasn't super into it, but then as I learned about it, I was like, fuck yeah, I'm into it.
Yeah. Hold on. But hold on.
What?
Does that have to do with music? Because if it's about music Yes. Like I feel, oh, I called it
it's music
because
Yes it is.
If it's about music, I feel like you sometimes feel like you aren't gonna like it. And then, and I
do like it.
Oh, but it's about music, so of course you're gonna like
it.
Yes. I should know that about myself. Oh yeah. 'cause then like, right, like I go from like No boner to bone. Right. Okay. Oh my God. I know. Sorry. Okay. The grand old op.
What
the grand old Opry.
Opry.
Yes. Opry. It's
not the opera.
No. Grand Old Opry. We're gonna tell you there's a fun fact about that. Oh yes.
Okay.
It's turning 100 years old.
What is it?
This year, on November 28th. Thank you very much.
What is it?
It's a stage. It's in Nashville. What it's like. It is where country music got its start.
Evidently, I'm not
a true
country fan.
I dunno that. It's a massive, massive venue. Huh? That started from nothing that we're gonna talk all about.
It is celebrating its hundredth year in existence Well, it's been celebrating it all year long, but like it's celebrating November. It's the hundredth year of existence. Yeah, yeah, yeah. Like this is gonna be wild.
Okay.
This is crazy interesting.
Okay, I'm here for
it. Dolly Parton?
No idea.
Johnny Cash.
Okay. Right.
No, no.
I mean, I know who Dolly Parton is. Oh, okay. Yeah. But like I know nothing about the Grand Ole Ry. I've never heard about it
before. Little little radio show in Nashville in 1925. Oh, managed to turn into country's biggest stage of all time. We're gonna talk about how it started, why it mattered, the whole thing, like let's go.
Alright. So is that the official title?
Official title from Barn Dance to Big Time. The Grand Old Opry Turns a hundred years old.
Perfect. How does this make us more cultured and curious?
Because being co, because being country's totally cultured. Right. Obviously. Just kidding. No shade to country people.
Okay. I mean, you're kind of cultured. Sorry, we just lost the rest of our listeners. Okay. But the grand old Opry isn't just about like just country music. This is like, this is the whole thing about storytelling. Remember Bruce Springsteen the whole thing, thing we're talking about? Oh yeah.
Okay. Is the songs, this is about community. This is like how America found its sound for the first time. Not just songs. This is literally like. It's like history. I'm gonna explain, I, I'm, I'm teasing you a little bit on purpose. Okay. 'Cause America's real original first sound was country.
Yes, it was.
Oh,
it's, believe it or not,
it's in Bluegrass, right?
Yes. Even like hillbilly music. Okay. So I'm kind of fung up hillbilly stuff.
All right.
Yeah, yeah, yeah.
It's the one's our word of the day.
Alright. Word of the day. Here we go. It is Obdurate.
I'm sorry.
OB Obdurate.
Obdurate. I think I'm saying that right. Yes. Obdurate.
Yeah. No, I got nothing.
You got nothing for obdurate?
No. That is such a weird word.
It is. I find very weird words on purpose. You
do?
Yes. Um, so it comes from the Latin word, abatis. Okay. Meaning hardened. Okay? So it showed up in England around the 15th century and basically means stubborn, hardened, right?
Stubborn. Okay. In a dignified way. Okay. So more like, um, like resolute or sticking to your guns. Okay. Than being just like hard. Right. Alright. So like, you, like I would say likes, like, no, I'm not making a joke now. Like, you're ob, ob obdurate. We should look that up. Is it ob, deit or obdurate? I don't know.
We'll figure that out. Sorry if we screw this whole thing up. Okay.
Alright. Well, well we figure that I'll, I'll look it up while you're going. Okay. But why don't you go ahead and just, I'm going topate. Okay. Why don't you just start with some history here.
History of the
grand. The
grand old opera.
Yep.
All right, here we go.
So it's 1925. All right. We're in Nashville, Tennessee of all places.
And by the way, a little context for like 1925 Nashville, Tennessee. Okay. There was like nothing going on in Nashville. Mean, it was like little, okay. Okay. More churches and dirt roads than like anything else really. Okay. Do you remember To Kill a Mockingbird? You remember To Kill a Mockingbird? Yes. I was the, it was like a.
The greatest
whatever,
the greatest book, the greatest book like literature ever created, maybe? Yes. Yes. And we're gonna do a whole podcast on Harper Lee.
Oh, you are?
Oh, I can't wait. Okay. I just gotta find a reason to do one, but yes, we're doing one. Okay. But my point is that was like in. Aba, like it was like a fake town or whatever, but it was in Alabama, but it was like a sleepy town.
Like
a
small town. Small, okay. Yes. Yeah, right. Like a bunch of front porches. Okay. Everybody was in everybody else's business to kill a Mockingbird. That was Nashville, Tennessee back then.
Okay.
So you gotta remember, radio was barely a thing. 'cause Marconi had only been in the radio in like 1895, like 25 years earlier.
Well. Marconi or Tesla. I don't wanna get into the whole controversy of who
created the radio.
That's a whole nother podcast. Okay, well, we'll talk about the
radio another
time. I am like having a DD times 10 right now.
Okay.
Okay. Sorry. This is squirrel. Okay. Anyway, radios weren't even in everybody's house yet.
Okay. Okay. So that, like that. So let's just get the context. And then outta nowhere. This little radio station W sm w Sm WSM in Nashville, Tennessee decides. It's gonna air a one hour live music show called the w sm Barn Dance. The w sm barn dance come to you live from Nashville, Tennessee. Yeah.
So did they just like talk about
barn dances,
like dictating the barn dance? Or did they play the music that you could also then Here we go. Dance in the barn.
Yes. Here we go. Right. Good old barn dance. Like who? Like who wasn't barn dancing? I know barn dancing was the coolest thing in the world to do back then.
Right. Okay. Amanda. This like WSM wasn't like some hip radio station or anything. Okay. They were owned by a life insurance company of all kind of companies. This is Oh, yes. Right. It was called the National Life and Accident Insurance Company, to be exact. That's who owned this radio station.
Oh, so they had like no business with music or rocking out to barn dances or anything. So anyway, okay. Sorry, I got off track. So the host of the show was some dude named George D Hay, who called himself the solemn old judge. Ooh. The Solem old judge. Not 'cause he was a real judge. Just 'cause he was a dj, but that was
his name.
Yeah. You need a cool name? DJ name? Okay. Yeah, yeah. Right.
Okay. Okay.
Playing along here. Good. So the idea was simple for one hour a week on Saturday night. He wanted to play music from his hometown in country, bum fuck America, with all the fiddles, the banjos, the gospel stuff. Like all like the good old like hillbilly music.
Okay.
Like did you see deliverance? I saw that. Do you know deliverance?
Yeah. But are we allowed to call it hillbilly music?
We're calling it hillbilly music. Okay. That's what we're calling it. Like Ning, Ning, Ning. Like that whole thing.
Okay.
Like that's what we're doing.
I'm sure you have a point here.
Yes.
But we we're starting with the radio. There's a dj
Yeah.
Plays hillbilly music.
Yes.
And somehow that barn dancing turns into the grand old Opry.
I am getting there.
Oh, okay. Okay. I'm just checking, I'm checking if you're still on track. I,
I'm, I'm having a moment. Okay. I will get there. You're
having fun. I know, I know.
I was just, I was just making sure we're still on track.
Okay. We're still on track. Okay. Okay. Alright. So the whole point I was trying to make before you rudely interrupted me here was that this was the first time that everyone could hear the same thing at the same time.
I mean, okay. All the farmers in Kentucky factory workers would because of the
radio.
Okay. No, no, it's, it's bullshit. It's like more than that. That's what, that's my point.
How is it more than that?
Because like regular radio stations, like, I, sorry I didn't explain it, but you're right.
My a DD is wild 📍 right now . Regular radio stations were playing like the news or like. Jazz music. Okay. Or classical music back then. Okay. Right. Okay. So what I meant was, this was the first time where like they, they weren't, none of these stations had like taken a risk and done hillbilly music before.
So this was the first time all the hillbillies were using their own music. Like thanks to good old George Hay, the dj.
It's a new genre that was getting out there.
Yeah. 'cause they were, they were, they were,
we're
not new
genre,
but say genre.
Radio,
it was the first time all the farmers and all like the factory workers and all these people in like the south were hearing their own music and their own style of humor.
And George Hay was talking to them like personally. Okay. So it was drawing together a group of people that had never been drawn together before. Does that make sense?
Okay. Yes.
Got it. And that's what made it revolutionary for the time. Okay. Okay. Fun facts. But to your Grand Old Opry thing, the whole thing, you were like, what's the Opry?
You're not saying opera. Fun fact. It actually started as a joke. So check this out. One night after the show had been on the air for about two years, so it's 1927.
Okay.
It was called The Barn Dance, and that followed a show that featured a bunch of classical music.
Of course. 'cause I was saying like it was all about jazz and classical music. Okay, so DJ George, our dj. Right. Okay. Yes. Right. The Solem old judge, he gets on the radio right after that to start his show, and he says, for the past hour you've been listening to the Grand Opera. Now. We'll let you hear some grand old Opry.
Oh, and that was like how it started.
That's fun.
He was making a pun.
I love it. I'm always here for a good pun.
It freak is awesome. It stuck a hundred years later. It's the grand old Opry because he was making fun of opera music, which by the way, opera music's excellent Go back and listen to our podcast on getting sort of sophisticated on.
Loving opera, classical music. You should. That was one of our early episodes. Again, that was like a early app
that was one up that I was like, I'm not gonna get into, but I totally did.
Yeah.
It was amazing. I know, I know. Good, fun facts in that one as well.
Okay, so how do then, does this come from like a one hour show once a week on a Saturday to like this big grandstand concert that it is today?
A lot of years, a lot
of mine. And I know there's a lot that happens at a
lot of miles.
But I guess this is like,
like a history part. Would you like by, would you like a year by year play?
I mean, not year by year, maybe like decades.
So fine. I'll go fast. So it started 1925.
So by the 1930s, only about 10 years after it starts, right? Yeah. The grand old Opry, I'm gonna call it the Grand Old Opry now. It had already gone from like this little radio experiment to like full on Saturday night, like institution Amanda, like Saturday Night Live.
It was
A
thing in 1980. Yeah.
Oh no. Like it was like a thing already, right?
Everyone tuned in.
Families planned the weekend around it, making dinner, do the dishes, everyone go sit in front of the radio. Listen to the Opry.
Okay.
That was it. Okay. Kinda like church, but like with banjos. Okay. Be with me. Okay. Yep. Um, and because it was getting popular, it started booking all these acts and making them like super famous.
Were they playing live?
It was all live shit.
Yeah, no, totally. Like, I mean, this is where like Minnie Pearl got started. Hank Williams. Patsy Klein. Oh, Johnny Cash. Like they even used to do comedy. 'cause Minnie Pearl, she was like Minnie Pearl's comedy.
Yeah. Archie Campbell, like these guys were like, they, it was. Like a variety show. Like, you know what,
oh, it's kinda like what you were trying to do with this podcast, but we're, it's
like what we're trying to do with this new venue. It's like what we're trying to do with this new venue that we want to venue, you know, the venue we've been talking about.
Well, but it was radio first. Yeah. Technically it's a podcast. Yeah. And then it's now fine. Turned into a venue and an event and a concert, so Yeah. Yeah, yeah. Okay. We'll get there. We'll get there.
Yeah. Okay. So, I mean, what's kind of cool, because the whole idea behind it was one week. Mini pearls on stage, being a comedian, which by the way, in the 1920s for a woman to be a comedian was fucking amazing.
Yeah. And then the next, she was making you laugh like her, you know, she's crazy. She was hilarious. Yeah. Like she was hysteric. And then like Hank Williams comes out, not, not even Hank Williams Jr. I mean, I know Hank Williams Jr. Is famous, but Hank Williams, right, who died tragically, like when he was like 25 years old or whatever it was.
Soul Story about him. That's a whole nother podcast. But my point is he'd sing his country songs and like make you cry. Yes. So like the emotion and the range that would be on the show was remarkable.
But it made people feel connected.
It was. It was And relatable. It was country culture, like everybody
figured for an hour.
It was excellent.
Every
weekend. It was absolutely excellent. So of course it was only a matter of time before, like the Opry, then outgrows, W-S-M-W-S-M-W-S-M. Like the radio station, like studio or whatever they were at. Yeah, whatever their
space.
I don't know. Yeah. So I looked it up and in 1943 they go out and they make this deal to move to the Ryman Auditorium, which was basically this massive church auditorium. Like more than like a concert hall or anything like that. Right. Okay. So, but it had amazing acoustics and I have a fun fact about that actually at the end.
Um, but they were able to rent it out on weekends, so it was kind of like a smoking deal. Uh, 'cause they used it during the week for something else. Of course. So for the next 30 years, that's where they stayed and , rocked out to like country hillbilly music. From 19, I don't know, 43 to 19, like 73.
Wow. Or 75. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. For a long time.
Awesome.
Do we have any radio stations now that still do live music?
Live music.
Yeah. No, not really, right? No,
no, no, no, no. No way. No way. No way.
So, so in 1973, then did it kind of die out where they're not doing live music
anymore? It's not, it's just still going, dude, I still got history galore here.
Here we go. Right.
Okay. Okay.
So like, Ryman's, where it got famous, if, if you've heard of the Ryman Auditorium, it's like super famous auditorium. That's what made like Opry Music. Opry music. Like that was it. It put him on the map for sure.
So I mean, literally Amanda, every Saturday night people would line up outside the church or like whatever, and then go inside and fill the pews and start singing along. It was like crazy magical. And since it was quote unquote like a church, there was this sense that it was like bigger than entertainment.
I know. It wasn't, they weren't having much. Right, right, right. They weren't having like a service or anything. Right, right, right. But. People connected to their soul. I think it even had to do with the fact and where they were producing it from. Does that make sense?
Sure. Yes. Kind of found like a religion of sorts.
Yes.
Within the music.
Yes. Absolutely.
I mean, it's kinda like what Kanye wanted to do with his like Sunday service thing.
Right.
Okay.
But didn't quite work the same way, but yes, I got you. Yeah. So this shit goes viral. Like, I mean, I
different type of viral, but Yes,
yes. I mean,
word of mouth, viral.
People start driving from all over the country.
Wow.
Like so now this is a big deal now. Right. So the problem was it was only a two hour show.
Okay.
So now . You have people driving to stay for a weekend or like a few days for like a two hour show that was a destination. It's like shit. Right. So National Life and Accident Insurance Company gets this bug up their but and decide all these people are coming from all over the country, but Nashville doesn't scream, like vacation destination. Sure, of course. So in 1972. The National Life Company, they built something called Opryland, USA.
Wait, no.
Yes. I
really thought you were gonna tell me they built, that's how Dollywood came along.
No,
no, no.
Dollywood came along 'cause of Dolly. No, they built Opryland amusement park. This was like, well. M mostly music park, but , also like music appreciation. Oh, interesting. Okay.
Yeah, yeah. No, this was crazy.
Okay,
this was Rollercoasters rides games, riverboat cruises. Like this was insane. Okay. I
mean
they now became a tourist destination
Fair. That was though
like fair.
The Stupid Life. Was
it
Life Insurance Company? Was it Life I Company? Yes, it was.
Oh,
like bands were playing all over the park.
Oh.
So people would come, and like go to Opryland USA, whatever, Friday and Saturday, and then Saturday night they'd go to the grand old Opry. And then suddenly go back to Opryland and then go home. Okay. It was like cra it was like Disneyland. It was like bonkers. People were coming up all over the place, coming to Nashville, Tennessee to go to Opryland.
So is it still around today?
It is not, no. Oh, but we'll get there. No, no, no. Hold on. Lemme finish Grand Opry and then I'll, I'll get back to this. Okay. Okay, fine. So, uh, where I left off 1972, Ryman Theater. Okay. So by this time, Ryman Theater is now.
Falling completely apart. Okay. Oh, okay. So now we gotta move on to the next place.
Okay. Oh, like the building itself?
Yes. Yeah. Yeah. So I'm going back to the Opry because we'll talk about Opry land in a second. I just got off track with Opry. Okay. Sounds good. Okay. Um, like it sucked 'cause like there was no air conditioning in this Ryman theater or anything.
And like in Tennessee in like 1970
got hot wasn't ideal. Sure, sure, sure.
Again, think to Kill a Mockingbird sitting in 📍 that courtroom or like think of me in this podcast studio right now. Right. Fair. Like
Uhhuh,
I'm sweating my balls off. Right. It's terrible. Okay. Oh
my God.
Pains. Chicken
drama queen.
Yeah, no, like the pews, people were getting splinters from the pews, like they were like, okay, you get the idea.
Not ideal.
They had to leave
circumstance.
So here we go. National Life Insurance Company again, right? They go and buy some land right next to Opryland.
Okay.
The amusement park we're talking about?
Yes. Yes. Five miles outta town and they build the grand Old Opry house in 1974. Okay. Which is. Where they're currently doing it today, so 50 years later, here we are. They started in 1974, built the new grand old Opry house, and that is currently where it still exists today.
Okay. That's kind of a bold move.
Yeah.
Like you are moving outta this iconic auditorium that everyone knows
and, and leaving Nashville.
Yeah.
Yes. Yeah. It's crazy. Moved outside of Nashville, like it was kind of a Yeah, it was kind of a big deal. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. I, I guess when I was researching all this shit, like a bunch of people got pissed off.
They left, they left Nashville, they moved five miles out of Nashville. Five miles. Right. Which is not, but like people were like pissed , oh my God, like this is nostalgia because you started this little radio station. I
mean,
it'd be like if people
as a panag, right? Like if Panag wasn't the Panag anymore.
Okay. I kind of think I agree kind
of. Right.
Okay. But now, I'm agreeing with you. I think that's a big deal.
Oh,
well, I mean, I think I get what you just said. Yeah. Okay.
I mean, I guess
so. Even if it was few miles down the road, it would still stuck because it It's like, it's like Disney. Yeah.
Makes
sense.
It's like Disney. I guess. Like why didn't they then, at that time. Like revamped the building.
They needed a room, dude. They had to have room like,
oh, it was more about room than
it was just like, yes. No, the thing was falling apart. They needed way more room. It understood. It was what it was. Yeah. Okay. Like, right.
So people got mad, they moved out.
But the one thing that saved them, this whole thing, right, was that when they moved into the new place that cut a six foot circle. From the Ryman stage.
Oh,
okay. Where all the performers had stood.
Mm-hmm.
And they placed that in the new auditorium that they bought.
Oh, that's
kind of,
so basically like every new singer that was going to sing on the new stage was still standing in the exact same place. The
history
of And the history. Yeah, yeah, yeah. So that was I would say like solid play by national life insurance. I'm laughing every time I say National Life Insurance Company because I think these guys are incredible that they were a life insurance company that built the Grand Ole Opry. Yeah. Like, it's just, it's, it's, it's insane. Anyway, so like the circle represented like, this, metaphysical bridge.
Sounds like we're taking the history Yes. Of in our roots
and we're still here. I love, yeah, yeah, yeah. Yeah. It's,
it's brilliant. Brilliant.
You think of like Hank Williams, Patsy Fine, Dolly Parton,
it's a reminder that even though Nashville changes, like the Opry is the Opry,
right? So then yeah. Because they moved right next to the amusement park. How did the amusement park close? Why is it not around?
Oh shit. Okay. Yeah, you're right. Sorry. Back to the amusement park. Here we go. Okay. So the amusement park was open for like 25 years.
Okay. It was a lot. So it was super successful. Yeah. Like no bullshit on like 19 whatever, 72 or whatever opened till like 1997 is when they closed.
Okay.
So here's the problem. Weather in Tennessee. Oh, it gets hot as balls in the fucking summer. Sure. It's always humid. And then in the winter, like so it's a seasonal park at best, so it's, so there's
tons of seasonal parks.
Yeah, but it's not like Disneyland, bro. Like Disneyland you could do. That's why Disneyland's in Florida and in and in Anaheim, , so they were losing money, and then they were like trying to make it all back and it was like bullshit. It wasn't working anymore. So they were like, okay, what are we gonna do?
So they go of all things. They go put in a mall.
Well, malls were hopped back in the nineties,
right?
Mall. And the mall still works. Oh, I'm all still there. Well, 'cause there's a lot of like music appreciation, remember? Oh, okay. So it's not just the mall, it's like this whole like kinda of museum music.
Yes. It's like all that kind of stuff too. And now since it's all indoors, everything works. It's way better. Got it. So like now that's all famous and it's still awesome. It's just is awesome. It No, no, no. Love lost,
right?
Yeah.
Okay. So then now we go back to the Opry. You were in this new place now, the eighties.
Yeah. And we're in the eighties. It's still famous. I mean, obviously
Totally
right. So it well received people
still going there. Oh, totally. Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. Like that. So mid seventies it moved, the whole thing. Right. Right now it's a star making machine, like the, the eighties. It's like, it's, it's, it's bonkers now.
Okay. Okay. Stamp of approval? No, going back, like literally at this point, if you get on the Opry stage. In the 1980s, you are now like an icon. Okay? Like you, that's like
you have to have a name for
yourself. You made, okay, you made, if you got invited to the Opry in the eighties, you made it because now you're already what, 60 years of history of the Opry.
Right, right. With too many famous people. So it's like American Idol or like the voice now. Yeah, yeah. You get what I'm saying? Okay. So and and also think about television. Right? Television wasn't even that old then. I mean, I know like if you think 1980, you're like, oh my God, it was old. No, it really wasn't.
Television was only 30 years old by that time. Right. Wow.
That's crazy
to think that. When, when you think about it, right? It came out in like 1950. Yeah, yeah, yeah. So , it took like about five minutes for these singers to like go from the Opry stage in 1980 to like the, whatever The Tonight Show with Johnny Carson or like, oh,
okay.
Like whatever, I don't know what other shows were with, uh, you know, going against Johnny Carson, but you get the idea they went crazy, like, bam, overnight, like super famous if you're the, A stage. It
was the place you wanted to be or be able to be at. Yeah. Yeah. If you were a country singer.
Yeah. Ricky s Scaggs, Reba McIntyre, Barbara Mandrell, all in the eighties. Uh, the nineties
passage.
Garth Brooks. Oh, 1990. Yeah. Alan Jackson, Trisha Yearwood. Okay. Now you're starting to, you're starting to pay attention. Uh, I have a quote here from Garth Brooks playing at the Grand Old Opry.
Okay.
Playing the Opry was the moment everything became real.
That's when Gar Brooks realized he had made it. Right. All right. That's his like famous sort of quote. Yeah. Yeah, yeah, yeah. Total. Awesome.
So if I wanna be a country singer, I need to make sure I get to the Opry.
Yeah.
At some point in time
you have to.
Oh, interesting. Yeah.
Totally validate.
Now I'm gonna like
validate.
You
rank,
you go the op, you go to the, so here, here's how it works. You, you like make a name for yourself, right? You do your hard work, you go to the Opry. As soon as you're done with the Opry, you sell out arenas. Done and done. Boom, boom. That's a step that's, that's like
your launching pad,
just it's math.
Okay. Yes. Yeah. Works same way like right now, newer artists. Okay, so go. I'm jumping ahead. Blake Shelton, Kelsey Ballerini, Luke Combs.
Wow.
All got invited to perform at the Opry. Biggest honor of their lives.
Yeah.
It's country music's way of saying like you're in the family.
Alright,
you ma you made it into the family.
It started as hillbilly, but now you made it into the family.
Like if it was mafia, like a, 📍 that you get the idea.
Yeah,
yeah, yeah. Okay. That's sort of it. That's pretty much what kept it relevant for the last a hundred years. It wasn't like, it wasn't like it was just a concert it was like a coming out party.
Like that's the best way to explain it.
Right. I mean, it's basically the op operating made
the stars coming out. Like, you know what I mean? By coming out, not like coming out like that way, but like coming, like you get it. I'll be quiet.
Coming of age maybe?
Yes, much better. Thank you.
Okay.
Yes.
So basically the Opry made stars in the eighties and nineties.
Yes. I mean, even to today, it sounds like. Yes. And Nashville is basically the country music capital of the world. Yes. It's Is that because of the Opry dur?
Well, it also had like, its pro blue.
Oh, okay.
Yes.
So I mean, there's lot of things that go into it, but it just like the perfect storm.
Yes.
But somehow the oping now has like survived, you said It's like a hundred years old.
And how, how did they,
because it went, it went from hillbilly music to country music, but yeah, it's totally relevant. Yeah.
So, I mean, basically they, they stayed relevant.
Yes. They totally stayed. They kept
going
Well, because they think all the way back. Right. So hillbilly music, like, who wants to listen to hillbilly music nowadays?
Nobody. I, I love it's gospel music. Okay. I got it. Some people do, but like a niche of people. It's like our podcast. You got, you got 112 people who wanna listen to that podcast. It's very, it's very nichey.
Very,
yes. Yeah. It's like when you're trying to sell real estate, it's really cozy.
No,
very, yeah. It's really cozy.
Is it cozy or is it a piece of shit? Right. You got the idea. Okay. That's us. Sorry. So they
kept relevant.
Yes. They totally kept all of that. They
grew and they.
They got into pop country, they got into Americana, they got into r and b, they got into soul RB they started adding. Yes, they started adding like Darius Rucker, like you know how he went from like he was Hootie in the blowfish. Now he's like, Mr. Country Music. Yes. Sex symbol guy. Right. , So they've, they've like reached out a lot. But then you also at the same time can see all the old timers, like, I mean, I can't believe I'm about to say Garth Brooks is an old timer, but like, he still goes up on stage.
So, I mean, jelly Roll is on stage, or Lainey Wilson with like Garth Brooks or like Alan Jackson.
Yeah.
So it's like they found this way of making it just this. Kumbaya of history and who doesn't love that? Well,
but now it's like a point of success.
Yes.
So,
yes,
it's awesome.
And I think people, they aspire to be on that stage
and they went, they went tech crazy, right? Oh, they did? So they had their own Yep. YouTube channel. Look it up. Mm-hmm. TikTok clips live stream. They live stream everything.
Yeah.
So you can literally still tune in. That's
awesome.
Yes. It's still live. It's, uh, during COVID.
When all live shows were canceled everywhere in the world, , they kept broadcasting. Oh, very cool. Yes. Grand old Opry.
Oh
yes. No audiences.
Sure.
But they absolutely kept broadcasting every Saturday night. Still went at it. Oh my gosh,
I wanna go.
Never, never lost or sold. We should go, we should go to the hundred year, anniversary is having
it
anniversary, like November 28th or whatever it is.
Oh,
Book it. Yeah.
Yeah. I have no plans in November. Let's
go. No, because they're totally doing so, I mean, they've been doing something like all year long, like realistically. Okay. But I think it's, yeah, it's November 28th, day after Thanksgiving, black Friday. they're doing two shows actually.
'cause normally they do one show Saturday night. Yeah. So they still stayed true to the whole, like one show Saturday night Fine. Okay. Right. But they're doing a 7:00 PM performance and a 10:00 PM performance on a. November 28th. But they really started this whole thing in March. You know how Disneyland, when they celebrate their seven, eight Oh yeah.
They roll it out. Well, they're going from, that's
how you capitalize on the money.
So they're doing this from like March to March. Oh, okay. But November 28th specifically, um, I looked it up.
Live
celebration. Yes. Live celebration. Tickets aren't terrible. I mean, they're thousands and thousands of dollars like down in like the, the pit.
Sure. Um, but they were 300, like nose weeds, 300 bucks.
Oh
yeah. So whatever, I mean, 300 bucks, that's not terrible. Like you, you could, you could get in there more than 20 different performances they're gonna do that night.
Wow.
Legends. Old, old timers I wanna go. And then current stars. I know it's, it's gonna be nuts. I think it could
be really like, it's a historical
moment. I, I kind of, I kind of think it's a big deal.
Okay, so wait, are we actually gonna go?
So wait, did I just kind of hook you on a You
did.
I mean,
this is what I love, love about this podcast. Like, I don't even, I didn't even know shit about the grand old opera. I mean, I love country music. Like I grew up like you like
music, period.
But. But so, but I didn't, I'm like Grand old Opry, really, I'm gonna learn about this shit and celebrate a hundred years, and here I am.
I got all into it. So the fact that you're like mildly into this right now? Yeah. I kind of got a little, I got a little like, I
excited. But I think,
yeah,
I think a little bit is, is that it's again, going back and appreciating history, right? And the fact that I. How did I not know about the Gran Ole Rey all of these years and how it got named and obviously it's so iconic it
got made so cool.
Right?
But it's so iconic and it's, that's a big deal. And so if it's, I mean,
not only, I think it's, trust me, it's gonna be around for another a hundred years. Like this is one of those things that now we'll stand the test of time forever. Like they'll celebrate this 250 year anniversary, like right. We won't be around, of course.
But it will keep going.
Do we need to go?
It's amazing. It's like,
but see, I think it's actually cooler to go when it's like the hundredth anniversary. I know. Because now you're going for like,
right. You get a whole thing. This like, this is why I love our podcast. Like I know I'm getting off tangent 'cause I have massive a DD today, but like, I think of when we did Carnival Yeah, yeah,
yeah.
In Brazil. Like really? Or when we did October Fest for like, these celebrations. These, I mean, and this is this let's cut the shit. This is an American celebration. This really is, yeah. Like if you don't want to admit, if you don't like country music, I don't give two shit's. This is what half of our country fell in love with.
Yeah. South of the Mason Dixon line you were in. Huh? This is what defined you for hundreds of years. So to like, bring that forward it's big and like it's, people don't big deal. People don't think about it that way, but it really is. Anyway.
I love it.
Do you know what else I love
what
fun facts.
📍 Of course you love fun facts. Good love. I think
it's time. I think it's time.
I mean, who don't love a good, fun fact, but
I want them to be good.
Should I talk like this through the all fun fact? I
don't think so. I think it'll affect
someone to be very, who am I fan if I'm just talking?
I think Stop.
Wow. Okay, fine.
So there's this game. Do you see the way she treats me? People? Have you ever heard this of this game?
What
it's called accents. It's,
it's called Be Normal
Peter. No, no, no. It's, it's called accents. Okay. And like you draw a card and you have to say whatever the line is with the accent.
I wanna play that game.
I'm horrible at the game. Can we play? We can. I
would think
you would do really good. Oh no. Oh, no, no, no.
Oh my God.
I am not good at accents.
Huh?
Like double negative.
Okay, here we go. Let's get the fun facts, number one. Okay. Remember when I was talking about the Ryman. Auditorium.
Yes.
Yes. And the sound system. Remember I said earlier?
Yeah. The fun fact on Yes. The whole acoustics thing.
Yes,
yes,
yes. Okay.
Is it better than, um, Segerstrom? Because I hope it is.
It's better than everything. Right? Okay, great. So after they restored it in the 1990s, 'cause they did fix the theater. Oh yes. Even though they, even though grand old op opera moved out, they moved, but yeah, they fixed it.
The acoustics were still so good. Nasa, NASA scientists had to study them to learn how to recreate it. For other uses. So I guess the shape of their building, right? And being all wood with no nails or joints, in certain places, where it it like came together made a, what they call a near perfect reverb.
And it wasn't like designed that way on purpose. It was designed that way. No,
it was built like the 18 hundreds
in 1892. Right. It was built on accident. So it was just really good craftsmanship. Like a lot of good luck nasa. Went and figured out the blueprint and now uses that to figure out like, oh, that's my blowing their sound stuff.
I, I,
that's
my blowing. It's incredible. Go Ryman. Okay. All right. Number two, the Opry helped integrate black artists into country music. We talked a little bit about Jerry Schwepp. Yes, but pretty bold. 'cause this was way before him. So, in 1967, Charlie Pride became the first black American artist to perform at the Opry.
He received a standing ovation from a mostly white audience.
Which was considered pretty groundbreaking, at that time. Yeah. If you think about it, to help widen the definition of country music and begin to share it with this wider audience, that's awesome.
Like, good for them.
Yeah.
, Shit. Before we go on to number three, what was our word of the day? Irate. Did we even, did we do, did we even use
sha? I know you didn't. No.
Oh my God. What does it, wait, what does it mean? I gotta, I gotta throw it in there. Hardness har hard,
right? Wasn't that it?
That should be really easy.
No, but it was like resolute.
Oh, yes.
It was resolute. Right, right. Okay. Okay. Resolute. Alright. Number three. Elvis Presley played at the grand Old Opry.
Well, I mean, after you said that he was in Nashville, I assumed that
that had to happen.
Oh, coming together. But guess what? Super fun fact. In 1954, he made his Opry debut performed, blue Moon of Kentucky. I have no idea. I didn't listen to that song. Okay. I'm sorry, people. And was politely told by the talent director, um. You might be better off driving a truck.
Oh, really?
So I guess it was bad.
So wait, he wasn't then a legend at that point in
time, so he never came back.
Wow.
Yeah. A few weeks later he appeared on the Louisiana Hayride.
Okay.
Which is Rey's rival show.
He was like, shove it,
and the he said shove. Uh, so you shove it. Why don't you shove it up your ass? Uh, the rest. Is rock and roll
history, Amanda.
Oh, there you go. Don't piss off the king.
Yeah, apparently the grand old Opry blew it. Let's go. You know what? Good for Elvis Presley. Yeah. He was very resolute. He was very, he was very ob.
There you go. Right?
Boom, boom. He was in. Good for him.
Okay. Number four, a flood. Almost destroyed the Opry House.
Oh,
yes. And pretty recently actually. Oh, really? The new one? Yeah. Not the Hyman. The new. The new one.
Okay. Okay.
When the Cumberland River overflowed in 2010, a man, only 15 years ago, four feet of water flooded the stage, ruining all the instruments, all the costumes, everything.
That circle of wood.
Wow.
Yeah. That circle of wood got ruined. They somehow. Pulled that sucker out. I mean, it was underwater and everything, right. Tried to like, refurbish it and fix it. It took 'em six months.
Wow.
And they restored it. They reinstalled it for the reopening again in the fall history. You
gotta do it.
But they did it. And they still saved it, but, oh my god. Can you imagine like, they probably had all these like scientists trying to figure out how to fix that little, that little six foot circle.
That's crazy.
I wanna stand on the circle.
Well, you gotta become a country singer.
Well, alright, number five, the Opry once broadcast live from the White House.
Oh,
1978
went on the road.
President Jimmy Carter.
Oh yeah. You gotta love our Jimmy. 'cause he was into music
that too. He was
People, if you don't remember one of your call outs from the Jimmy Carter episode was to go see, the documentary Rock and Roll President. Oh, Jimmy Carter.
Yep.
Watched the documentary. It's excellent. He loved his music.
That's why he brought her to the White House. So, um, he invited Roy Acuff.
Okay.
And, mini Pearl.
Yes,
the, famous comedian, uh, and a bunch of other stars to play on the south lawn of the White House. Make it the only time, the only time the Opry officially left Nashville for a full production. Oh,
wow.
I know.
Wild. Uh, and the last one is the Opry. Amanda has a pet mascot. Well, it did
interesting
during the 1950s. Okay. Uh, performer Furlan Husky. Good old Furlan. Hello, Mr. Furlan. He had a pet raccoon named Mr. Nashville. Go figure.
That's so random.
Raccoon, right? He used to roam around backstage.
Oh no.
While Ferlin Husky performed. No, no, no. So Lan said it brought him good luck. So Mr. Nashville became so comfortable, like at the grand Old Opry, that he'd wander into dressing room, steal food, all sorts of shit poop everywhere. No. And every once in a while, Hey, this one time he ran across stage,
freaked out the audience, but the audience thought it was part of the act, but it wasn't part of the act. But he like became super famous in grand old oppy history for running across the stage. Right. I can't talk about like, I can't a frigging hillbilly way,
a raccoon
I can't,
like let's go.
Okay. Nope, I'm done. Fun facts out. Let's go Mr. Nashville. It's all you.
That's so random. I can't.
I know. Let's go. Ferlin Husky and his
Oh man. Was, that was good. But I also thought that you would like, have some random facts about like Dolly's wig collection or something, but the NASA one was good.
The raccoon one was good too. The raccoon one
was excellent.
Hey,
yes.
You get stars for those.
Thank you.
Um, okay, so, but now we gotta go to our like, call of action because besides just going to visit, besides being there for the hundredth celebration. Yeah. I mean. Let's do it there. Has, there's, I'm sure you have something else up your sleep on what we can learn.
Let's do it right? I mean, 'cause let's be honest, I mean, most people aren't gonna go over there and like, celebrate with us on November 28th. Fine. Here's the deal. You wanna sit on the couch? Sit on the couch, watch tv. I don't mind. I'm gonna give you some TV stuff here.
People watch the documentary, American Experience Nashville Sound on PBS
Oh.
All right. You're gonna get all the shit you need to know about the grand old Opry
you wanna read? Some people like to read while they're falling asleep. Read a Good Natured Riot by Charles K. Wolf.
Okay?
It's like the go-to book. Unlike everything. I kind of
mesmerized that there's even stuff.
The Opry became the eye. Amanda. Okay.
I know it's historic, but like you,
I can find anything on anything, dude.
That's true. That's true. That's true. I,
by the way, I think I've learned, , I think I'm a good
Fact finder.
Yeah. Like a sleuth.
Yeah.
I think I know how to like,
maybe you're like a pi.
All, all, yeah.
On facts,
right?
Historian. It's sort of, it's a historian. You're
historian. It's, it's good for nothing.
Okay. Anyway. Alright then. Good for a
podcast.
That's about it. Okay. Um, then remember these uh, I don't know, details to like, you know, be sophisticated. We're summing it up people. Okay. Number one, the Grand Old Opry is the longest running radio show in the world. It started in 1925 as this tiny one hour broadcast called the WSM Barn Dance, and it's been running every single week since then, nearly 100 years straight, November 28th.
That's wild. Okay. Number two, the Opry is the reason. Country music went national. That's what we talked about before. Before that country music was just a bunch of like local sounds from the south, um, but ws, m's. Massive radio signal and later television spread, like all that music coast to coast. Thank you very much. That's how America found its sound.
It's crazy.
Number three, playing the Opry is like literally getting knighted. That's what , Amanda was trying to explain, , 'cause she was summing things up.
When artists like Dolly Parton, Garth Brooks, Reba McIntyre get invited. It is the ultimate honor. It means you've officially made it. Even that new generation, Kelsey Ballerini, we talked about Darius Rocker, Luke Combs, they still treat it as a coronation. Uh, and finally, the Opry old home, the Ryman Auditorium has perfect acoustics completely by accident.
It was built in 1892. As a gospel revival hall and a century later, NASA literally studied the sound design because the reverb was so good. When they moved to the New Opry house in 1974, they cut that six foot circle of wood out of the Ryman stage and installed it in the new one.
So every performer still stands where all the legends stood.
And there you have it to dear listeners, a hundred years of Hillbilly twang talent, and Pure American storytelling From that tiny 1925 radio show in Nashville to the stage that made country music famous. The Opry is not just a place, it's a legacy that never really stopped growing.
And if we did our job today, you're walking away a little more curious and. A little more confident and maybe ready to drop a fun fact or two. Like how NASA studied the rymans acoustics or how Elvis got told to go drive a truck. The point is that
might be the, that might be the best one.
It's true.
Who tells Elvis to go do like
evidently someone did,
right?
Apparently the grand old Opry. Sorry, I didn't mean to screw you
📍 up. Nope. The point is the opera isn't just history to admire, it's still alive, it's still evolving, and still the heartbeat of Nashville. And as always, if you like this episode, hit subscribe. Leave us a review and tell that one friend who claims that they don't get country music, that they're officially missing out.
Because trust me, they'll come around once they learn about the raccoon. I mean, who doesn't love a pet raccoon,
Mr. Nashville?
So until next time, stay curious, stay inspired, and remember, being sophisticated isn't about knowing everything. It's about knowing what's worth singing about.
Amen to that. Sing this out, Amanda.
